like israel and turkey and jordan, and it increases the risk that chemical weapons will be used in the future and fall into the hands of terrorists who might use them against us. we're not considering any open-ended commitment. we're not considering any boots on the ground approach. what we will do is consider options that meet the narrow concern around chemical weapons. >> washington had been banking on the u.k. to assist in a strike on syria, but the british parliament said no, we're not going along with that. they voted against military action. we still have france and turkey with us, but the arab league says they will not back retaliatory military strike, denying obama the valuable cover that he thought he was going to get. earlier this afternoon after meeting with the president and the national security council, secretary of state john kerry delivered the administration's most powerful statement to date on this matter. >> we know that the regime has

used those weapons multiple times this year. we know that for three days before the attack, the syrian regime's chemical weapons personnel were on the ground, in the area making preparations. we know the syrian regime elements were told to prepare for the attack by putting on gas masks and taking precautions. we know rockets came only from regime-controlled areas and went only to opposition-controlled or contested neighborhoods. breathing difficulties, people twitching with spasms, coughing, rapid heartbeats, foaming at the mouth, unconsciousness and death. we saw rows of deadlined up in burial shrouds. the white linen unstained by a single drop of blood. the united states government now

knows that at least 1,429 syrians were killed in this attack, including at least 426 children. this is the indiscriminate, inconceivable horror of chemical weapons. this is what assad did to his own people. >> seems to be making a case for more than just a limited strike. nbc's ayman mohyeldin is in neighboring lebanon where a number of syrian refugees are fleeing. ayman, my wife's family is from there. i'm hearing folks in beirut are very tense right now. what's your read on the region? >> reporter: tense is certainly an understatement given the kind of anxiety people have. it's not just because of the possible u.s. military action against syria. really, what it would mean for the region. keep in mind one of syria's closest allies in the region, hezbollah, is here in the region. hezbollah has felt the effects first hand, not only from a h

humanitarian point of view, but it has seen some of the violence that's spilled over from syria here, which is sectarian. you have members that support the regime fighting against people who are opposed to the regime, some of the rebels. just two weeks ago there were some very bloody attacks here attributed to that violence. because of those fault lines that run deep here, people are concerned that if there was a strike and perhaps retaliation from hezbollah or syria's closer ally, iran, that this reg could be engulfed in violence that it can't handle given the humanitarian crisis. >> all right. ayman, stay safe in beirut. now joining us, a professor. the consent of the u.k. was thought to be easy. a funny thing happened on the way to the coronation. the british parliament said no. what does that do to america's

calculus vis-a-vis syria right now? >> i mean, let me be blunt. if the united states decides to strike against syria, this would be an american operation. america would take ownership of this particular operation. american operation without a u.n. security council resolution, a u.s. operation without the final report by the u.n. inspectors, a u.s. operation without a broadly based coalition. france said it would join the united states. turkey and saudi arabia and qatar. but they have been the spearhead of the fight against the assad regime. thus, the united states would be joining the anti-assad regime. the reality is regardless of how you -- we try to really explain the american operation, few in the region -- and i'm talking about the middle east and the muslim world -- would see this operation as an american

operation. regardless of how important the u.s. evidence is, and it's very powerful evidence against the assad regime, the consequences, i think, would be very pivotal, both for the region and i think for america's interests in that part of the world. >> professor, yesterday we saw a very lively debate in parliament, and we also see tons of resistance in congress on the u.s. side given some of the history with iraq and the nonexistent wmds. given all that's going on on our side, the fact that the economy is just now starting to rebound, how much do you think military action will likely cost the u.s.? >> well, you know, i just talked about the legality and legitimacy of the u.s. operation. we're not really -- none of us here, you and i and all of us, are disputing the fact that assad is a thug. that's not the question. the question is, it does not have an international cover. it's not really legal. the second set of consequences

is the consequences, the real implications. it's not in terms of treasure but also in terms of blood and real consequences. i think an american military strike, in particular if it's a large military strike, would basically rekindle collective memories of america's intervention in the region. iraq is very present. it would turn assad into a hero. a thug to a hero, challenging to the united states. it would deepen regional involvements in the conflict. iran and hezbollah would become deeper involved in the region. also, i think, in many ways, you might see strikes against american interests in the middle east and beyond, in particular the united states becomes very, very much involved in the conflict against the assad regime. at the end of the day, the question i know all of us in the united states debate is if the

united states has any option. the credibility of the united states and the u.s. president is on the line. to me, the real question is, how do you stop the bloodshed in syria? how do you stop the carnage in syria? it's not just about the credibility of the u.s. president. this is the not about international politics. it's a blood bath. i think america's strike would exacerbate an already complex situation. >> of course an important question, but i would argue the most important question on a lot of people's minds still is, what is the u.s.'s national security interest in syria? nbc news conducted a recent poll on this and asked this question. is taking military action against the syrian government in our national interest or not? 21% said yes, 33% said no, it's not in our national interest, and 45% don't know enough to have an opinion. i was very surprised that it was

45%. you also have members of congress that are saying, you know, we still have questions that need to be answered. we still need to be convinced there's a real connection here to our national interest. we've also heard from secretary kerry today and the president laying out their case to take action. at the end of the day, who are they convincing? what can they still do to convince the american people? >> well, i mean, i think obviously a majority of americans are not convinced. america's vital interests are basically very engaged. in particular, there is really somehow an urgent need to respond now. a majority of brits are not convinced, as we witnessed last night. i think what i would argue an international principle, a sacred principle, the geneva convention is involved. the question s how do you balance this important principle against the carnage that's basically taking place in syria? how do you stop the carnage?

it's not just about really observing this wonderful principle but also about the fact of stopping the carnage. i see the debate is all about whether we must really act in order to preserve the principle. we're not really paying attention to the morning after and how america's military strike would exacerbate and in fact bring about a much more dangerous situation than it is today. >> you know, you mentioned that earlier france is ready to join the united states if it comes to a military strike. it's so interesting given the history of iraq ten years ago where, you know, france was a hold out right until the end. we have a situation now where britains seem to be saying they've learned a lesson from iraq and they're not ready to go, but france is. can you tell us about what has changed in france that makes france more willing to do something like this. >> well, for a variety of reason. you have an activist president,

an activist president who has some major domestic interests. he's in real trouble domestically. he intervened in mali. it was a wonderful thing for him and the french people. also, the french feel strongly about syria. the question is not what's happening in syria involves american interests, it's french interests. that's why they're involved. it's a historical relationship. for us in the united states, the coalition we're building is a broadly based coalition. i would argue if you look at the coalition of president bush, it's more broad. here you have president obama, a person who cares a great deal about international law, about international diplomacy, about really creating a broadly based

international coalition. all i am suggesting, there is more need, more time for diplomacy, international diplomacy. i would argue we must use this particular moment, this terrible moment where thousands of syrians have died, in order to really have a renewed effort of diplomacy. russia and the united states must sit down, use this particular moment, heighten tensions in order to bring about a settlement and put an end to the bloodshed that's taking place in syria. regardless of how legitimate a strike is, it seems to be legal based on the evidence that we have seen from the administration. my question is, if you put the principle aside, america's military strikes would not bring about an end to the struggle. in fact, it would exacerbate and make the conflict much more complex and much bloodier indeed. >> and to quote what you just said, we could turn assad from a thug into a hero, make him a

sympathetic figure in the region. strong words, but thank you for the insight, professor. we'll have you back on. now we have a little bit more from the president today talking about syria. >> what we have seen, so far at least, is an incapacity at this point for the security council to move forward in the face of a clear violation of international norms. and, you know, i recognize that all of us here in the united states, in great britain and many parts of the world, there's a certain weariness. there's a certain suspicion of any military action post-iraq. and i very much appreciate that. on the other hand, it's important for us to recognize

that when over 1,000 people are killed, including hundreds of innocent children, through the use of a weapon that 98 or 99% of humanity says should not be used, even in war, and there is no action, then we're sending a signal that that international norm doesn't mean much. and that is a danger to our national security. >> we'll have more of our syria coverage in a moment. up next, wwbd or wwdd. what would w do? the president who got us into iraq weighing in on syria. really? "the cycle" rolls on. it's the friday before labor day. could a strike happen over the weekend holiday while no one is watching? [ male announcer ] what's important to you?

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nbc's jim is at the pentagon with new preparations on syria. >> angela, a little over an hour ago on the west wing at the white house, president obama told reporters that he still not had made any decision in regards to military strikes against syria, but i can tell you most of the military decisions have already been made, advanced planning is underway here this afternoon at the pentagon, and we have five guided missile destroyers. they're in the eastern mediterranean. all the targets, or most if not all of the targets, have already been loaded into the warheads of some 200 tomahawk cruise missiles that could be used against chemical weapons related

targets such as airplanes, rocket launchers, artillery and the like. because, as the president and secretary of state john kerry both said today, any military operation would be limited and tailored specifically to the chemical weapons program. the president also pledged there would be no boots on the ground. but at this point, when the president finally makes the decision, those missiles could be launched within a matter of minutes, angela. >> thank you, jim. in a rare interview this morning, former president george w. bush talked about the enormity of the situation currently going on at the white house. as the president weighs whether to take military action in syria. >> the president's got a tough choice to make. if he decides to use our military, he'll have the greatest military ever backing him up. putting our military into harm's way is the toughest decision a

president will make. >> here to give us insight into that difficult decision is the former u.s. ambassador to morocco and former middle east adviser mark ginsburg. what i want to talk to you about is the careful line administrations have to tow when dealing with whether or not it's a declaration or war or just military action. we've seen several examples in the recent past including the 1983 invasion of grenada, the bombing of libya in 1986, invasion of panama in '98, et cetera. i think it's important for our viewers to really understand the best way to describe in the clearest sense the difference between using military force and a declaration of war. >> well, it's the excellent question of the hour. afterall, the war powers act, which is the legislation and the law that essentially compels the president to come to congress under certain circumstances to seek authorization to use u.s.

military force is the very war power act that members of congress are circulating a letter demanding, and i believe there were almost 200 members of congress, both democrats and republicans, who have signed on to that, who are in effect calling on the president not just to consult with the key leadership of congress but to come to congress and seek their approval before launching that very attack. so this argument between the executive branch and the legislative branch of congress and the implementation of war powers act has been a decades long controversy between the commander in chief, the power of the president, and the power of congress. >> mark, i listened to secretary of state john kerry earlier making the case. the rhetoric was strong, the delivery was strong. if what he's saying is completely correct and the intelligence is all there, it seems really strong as well. almost makes me think all this talk about a precision operation, a very limited, targeted operation doesn't

necessarily match up with the case he made. does the case he made warrant something more than a precision, targeted operation? >> it's really interesting, steve. the secretary's comments, and i listened to them very carefully as you did earlier today, suggest that syria is engaged in a pattern of indiscriminate use of chemical weapons that compels more than merely a targeted, limited response. afterall, it's not -- this is not -- remember, the red line was crossed months ago on a more limited use of chemical weapons. when jim just reported that there's almost 200 cruise missiles and tomahawk missiles that may be loaded on to these five destroyers and submarines why the mediterranean. the question is, what are they aiming at? are they merely aiming at command and control centers? are they significant enough in terms of magnitude to not have assad in effect rise from the shattered remains of his command

and control bunker and declare i'm not only going to defy the united states, but i'll use them again. that's the very tricky tight rope this white house is walking on, not least of which, of course, is the public relations and congressional support the president and secretary are trying to earn. >> ambassador, talk about a tricky tight rope. any time you're in a fight where you're not fighting for your life and the other guy is, you're at a massive disadvantage because that guy will fight with morer er ir i ferocity. you explained part of why he launched the chemical attack is because his convoy was attacked. he's feeling the heat. he knows getting the u.s. to attack him will make him heroic in the region, as the professor explained in the previous segment. so we're at a massive disadvantage because this man is fighting for his life. >> well, there may be an

argument about whether assad will ever earn the stripes of being a hero to anyone in the arab world. be that as it may, the fact of the matter is that the first thing that assad and his iranian protectors and the russians are going to do is to try to have him emerge victorious from whatever attack the united states launches. then the question is, if he defies the united states after this attack and it doesn't have the achieved result of what the president hopes to accomplish, which is not only to degrade his car pa-- capacity, but to deter him from using chemical weapons again, then what? these are questions everyone is wrestling with. we understand from previous experiences that sometimes just a few tomahawk missiles launched, no matter what number, c cannot deter an enemy. >> ambassador, you've never been afraid to speak your mind when

it comes to syria. you have your own idea of a limited operation you wrote about recently in "the huffington post" where you said, i hope the pentagon places assad's oil refineries in its crosshairs. taking out his oil exporting revenue costs nothing in lives and will hit him where it could hour the most -- right in syria's wallet. that sounds like something you can convince the american people of doing, but the problem is the aftermath. that's the question. what happens next? what will the response be from assad and from his allies? >> well, i do favor attacking those refineries because they are the cash cow that pays for this russian weapons that he's using against his own people. let's not mistake about it. that $15 million a month is important to the survivability of the assad regime. so that's why i'm in favor of this. the aftermath, of course, remains to be seen. i don't believe that in the end

assad is foolish enough to attack israel in retaliation or hezbollah do the same because the israelis will basically kiss his entire air force good-bye and ruin his air defenses. the israelis are not going to play any games here. they're not going to wait for authorizations or diplomatic niceties. if he attacks turkey, he then prompts the british, who were on the sidelines, to be able to respond under article five of our nato treaty. believe me, prime minister cameron will not have to go to the british parliament if turkey's attacked by syria. so what else are assad's options? call in the russians to attack u.s. naval forces in the mediterranean? in terms of retaliation, sure, the worst thing i think you can do is have the so-called syrian electronic army, which is attack a variety of websites, see if they can really hit us where it hurts by engaging in some cyber warfare. if that's all assad can do,

short of some terrorist attack -- and by the way, let me add the iranians are engaged in a charm offensive over its own nuclear program. i find it very hard to believe that the new president of iran is going to risk that charm offensive with the united states by coming to assad's rescue. >> well, ambassador ginsburg, thank you so much for joining us today. >> sure, good to be with you. up next, the potential effect of intervention and how it could hurt us where it hurts, in the wallet. [ male announcer] with reddi wip, fruit never sounded more delicious. mmm. [ male announcer ] with 15 calories per serving and real cream, the sound of reddi wip is the sound of joy. this delicious, easy to make kraft dinner from $6.50 a meal. mmm. [ male announcer ] with 15 calories per serving and real cream, walmart is less than $3.10 a serving. replacing 1 fast food dinner a week, saves your family of 4 over $760 a year. save money. live better. walmart.

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we have been very clear to the assad regime but also to other players on the ground that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized. >> it now appears the president is ready to move on the red line threat he made last summer, but it will send a ripple effect

through our policies and humanitarian concerns. here to think about the big picture we have robert levinson and jacob schapiro. robert, we keep hearing american media and american people talking about our credibility in the region as if that's a really important thing. i find that discussion really sort of simplistic, as if we actually have credibility in the region. and credibility seems to mean that we have to do something that will show iran how tough we are and surely iran is aware of the recent report in "foreign policy" magazine that in 1888 as saddam was attacking, he gassed iran and we were complicit in some of the most gruesome chemical weapons attacks every levied. this idea of credibility and why

we have to attack to show iran what's really good, that doesn't fly for me. >> well, i think the big concern here, toure, with iranians, of course, is their nuclear program. this president and the previous president have been going through a series of steps to try and get the iranians to back away from the nuclear program with always the implicit threat that if they don't comply, military action is on the table. i think there's a real fear that if we don't act in this case where the president drew a red line, the iranians will take that as a signal they can proceed ahead with their nuclear program and the united states won't do anything about it. >> jacob, something i read says, quote, syria was not an issue that affected the u.s. national interests until obama declared a red line, something obama set with impunity. the u.s. president is now backed into a corner and frankly without a strong coalition behind him. now the white house, they're making their calculations essentially on their own. what is the best possible

outcome for president obama? >> well, i think the best possible outcome for obama would be that all of this harsh rhetoric allows him some leverage behind the scenes with the russians and he gets a political solution out of this mess. i don't think that's going to happen. i understand that the talk of credibility kind of rings hollow and you already see over 100,000 people dead in the syrian conflict. it's about ultimately more than iran. it's about north korea and it's also about the united states' relationship with other countries in the world, particularly russia. i think a lot of what's been going on here is the united states is trying to develop leverage in its negotiations behind the scenes with the russians. i think in regards to building the coalition that you talked about, i think that, you know, kerry's comments today were particularly strong, and obama has definitely indicated he wants action, but at the same time, the united states isn't going to rush this. by presenting their evidence today, they're giving the british, the french, other countries a chance to say, here's our evidence, here's what

we're thinking about doing. take this back to your own governments and maybe join us. >> robert, i want to return to what you were just saying there a minute ago. you laid out the rationale for, you know, enforcing the red line with syria because we've been dealing with the iranians on the nuclear issue. this way the iranians will know there's going to be consequences. is that a legitimate point to raise? do you think iran will take a message, will take a warning from any kind of military strike against syria that will preclude them from going forward with the nuclear program? >> it's so hard to gauge. i'm not going to be one to say i think we know how the iranians think. they're decision making process is pretty opaque to us, and even opaque to the u.s. intelligence community. it's hard to say how they'll read it. they are a regime that's a brutal regime. they do understand the use of military force. apparently the last time when we

invaded iraq, they did back off their nuclear program. when things get hot, it is possible they could react that way. it's very difficult. they seem committed to this nuclear program. but it is possible that this could send a strong signal coupled with, you know, you have a new regime in iran that may be looking for a way out of the confrontation and a way to lift the sanctions and improve the iranian economy. >> jacob, earlier today we heard from secretary of state kerry. he made some very strong remarks about the situation in syria right now, but he also said this. take a listen. >> we know that after a decade of conflict, the american people are tired of war. believe me, i am too. but fatigue does not absolve us of our responsibility. just longing for peace does not necessarily bring it about. >> so jacob, how much deference should we be paying to this war fatigue that's not only being experienced by the american

people but also from global citizens around the world. >> well, i think we should pay a lot of deference. i think that's part of the reason -- and it's sort of unprecedented the way we've had all these political debates in the united states, in the united kingdom, in france, in turkey all playing out right in front of us. so i think we should certainly take a lot of it into consideration. obviously, secretary of state kerry and president obama have decided that this is fundamentally in the united states' interests and they've gone to try and make that case to the american people. i think that in some ways, kerry's comments were really about trying to differentiate this from anything connected to iraq, anything connected to afghanistan. they're really trying to say, no, we're communicating with you, we're doing this differently, we're not going to have boots on the ground, this isn't going to be a long, drawn out thing. so i think the politicians are playing great deference to it and we should certainly take it into consideration. ultimately, these leaders will act if they feel their national security interests are threatened. >> robert, do you think an

attack on syria would change the price of oil in america? >> i do think you'll probably see a bit of a spike in the immediate aftermath. already oil is almost at a two-year high. so you'll probably see a spike, and then it'll come down, unless of course the iranians choose to retaliate by some action in the persian gulf. then there may be much more long-term instability. >> jacob, assuming we do go in, we do strike, what is our obligation after? >> i think a lot of that will depend. if it's going to be a limited, punitive strike, we should really think about that in context of the political negotiations that are going on behind the scene. if you establish that red line and then you're trying to talk to the russians and nobody is listening to you and assad is increasingly using chemical weapons, you know, your words sort of ring hollow. i think part of the logic behind the limited strike is to say, okay, we're going to demonstrate our resolve and then we can go

back to the table and say, look, use of chemical weapons is not okay. we've shown to you what our resolve is. now let's talk and try and find a real political solution. >> we have the most recent comments from the president this afternoon basically indicating no decision has been made on this, but it's sort of impossible to listen to what john kerry said earlier, to listen to the forcefulness of that presentation and say he would go out there and make a statement like that if it was not going to be followed at some point by actual military action. i wonder if both of you share that view and if you have a sense when we can be expecting something to actually happen with syria militarily. >> well, i'll jump in first, i guess. yeah, i think it appears that action is pretty likely in the very near future. i think the u.n. weapons inspectors have to get out of there on saturday. i think, you know, there may be a little more time for some diplomacy and hopefully making the case with the evidence, maybe getting a few more european allies on board. but probably, you know, not much later than the early part of

next week, i think, we're going to see something. >> i completely agree. i just would reiterate what secretary kerry and obama have both said, which is that the americans are going to do this on their own timeline and independent of everyone else. they'll wait for the u.n. inspectors to get out of there. they'll hope against hope that the british parliament will go back into session and look at evidence brought to bear today. judging on the military preparedness of the americans in the region, i think in the next few days it high probability of an attack. >> all right. robert and jacob, thank you very much. up next, as we head into this labor day weekend, our friends at travelocity are sharing last-minute and affordable getaway ideas. my insurance rates are probably gonna double.

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labor day travel period in the last four years. aaa predicts 34.1 million americans will travel 50 miles or more this weekend. 29.2 million will drive. 2.6 million will fly. this means delays and this means chaos. we all know travel can make us crazy. >> oh, i'm sorry. we're only boarding rows nine and above right now. you'll have to wait. >> i'm in row eight. >> please step aside, sir. >> it's just one row. don't you think it's okay if i -- >> we'll call your row momentarily. step aside, sir. ♪ thank you for waiting.

we'd like to continue boarding the aircraft now. we're now boarding all rows, please. all remaining rows. hello. enjoy your flight. >> all right. i couldn't resist. you know, we have all been there. your wait is over because courtney scott is here. she's senior ed to be at travelocity. we've all been in that situation. this weekend is potentially going to be the worst for many people, as i said. 29.2 million will drive, 2.6 will be flying. what are your tips for dealing with delays so we don't go insane? >> hopefully you won't have a ben stiller labor day. if you do, it's important to pack your patience. we're going to be dealing with longer lines at the airport, heavier traffic on the roads. packing your patience is key. do not pack checked baggage. you're only traveling for three

to five days, probably, and there's no need to pack checked back a baggage. that's going to additional time. if you have rerouted delays, you don't want your luggage in one city and you're in the other. serve allowed one large carry-on item and one personal item. more than enough for what you're going to need. >> how crazy can you actually get? what are our rights? a lot of us feel like we go insane in these moments. how far can you go before getting in trouble? >> we have some rights as travelers. we have the right for flight, the next available flight. that sometimes means days out from the day you want to travel. that doesn't mean the next available flight in the next hour. especially during a busy time like labor day when airlines are flying at full capacity. we don't have the light to lots of free snacks and a free night in a hotel if your flight gets canceled or there becomes a

conflict. it's important to take matters into your own hands. get on your mobile apps, get online, get on the phone, and also be online at the airport and really be strategic with rescheduling and replanning your trip. mobile apps are your best friend at any travel situation, but especially on a busy travel period like labor day. you want to be looking online for alternative flights, potentially rebooking into a hotel near the airport if you're stuck, and obviously mobile apps are fantastic for dealing with traffic, finding cheap gas prices. we have google maps, gas buddy, flight track pro, and of course travelocity's app. >> courtney, i got to say, i'm really glad you're here. i think what you guys do is provide a noble service. travel, it's really important and valuable in people's lives. buying a really nice car, you

know, becomes like furniture in your life whereas travel provides a momentary sort of escape from your life and it forms these memories you keep coming back to. novel experiences provide the basis for valuable moments that endure and can help define the texture of a life. it's tempting to think a two-week trip to paris is short, but if the vacation is terrific, it will have a lifelong effect. in your mind, you keep coming back to it. travel is the sort of spice of life we need. >> you know, some of my fondest memories are through my travel experience. this is the last big hurrah for the summer. it's really that last chance to get out and experience something magical. so really take advantage of this weekend. if you haven't yet booked your trip, you know, be flexible with the days that you're traveling. monday is the busiest day to return, obviously. tuesday, wednesday, thursday, if you can extend your trip, you'll see a greater value and less

crowds and traffic on the roads. >> i got to give you my contribution. >> steven is hyperventilating. >> here's my travelocity tip. stay home. >> no. >> why? i mean, seriously. the crowds, the lines, kids, slow people. >> what's wrong with kids? >> just expensive prices. just stay home. if you stay home, the streets are suddenly empty. oh, my gosh. so much better. you come back from traveling and you're exhausted. then you have to work. so stay home. sorry. that's my tip. >> out of our top ten destinations for travelocity's labor day list, there are some cheapies. not everything is pricey. we have orlando, florida. really great values. >> orlando? it's going to be packed. there's going to be kid and mickey mouse. >> average daily hotel rates only around $100 a night. that's a steal. we've got denver. not as many crowds, fantastic weather at this time.

sort of the in the offseason period. and chicago. no one wants to travel to chicago in february. it's cold and dreary. now is the time to visit chicago. it's one of the cheapest destinations to travel to on our list. full of epts. farmers markets, movie nights. >> thank you, courtney. >> courtney, you took my question for you. so i'm going to ask you a different one. steve is mandating that everyone stays home. so tell us about some of the staycation options. what about any hotel deals in nearby areas? >> if you're looking for a staycation, they are still quite popular. look on mobile apps. they actually release last-minute hotel deals you won't find on sites. it's a really fantastic way if you just want to kind of get out of your house and do something local. go on to that mobile app. you'll find mobile exclusive deals in cities like new york, chicago, l.a., san francisco. you'll be able to have a fantastic, you know, weekend close to home. >> courtney, the least popular vacation spot, i'm sure steve will be happy about that. >> the least popular vacation

spot -- i guess d.c. fell out of our top ten this year. last year was an election year. people were really flocking to washington, d.c. it's not in our top ten this year, unfortunately. boston did make the top ten and wasn't previously. so there you go. >> number one on my list, my living room. air-conditioning, i sleep on the couch. i can watch reruns on tv. there are no kids. >> he throws his socks on the floor. >> there's no slow people who go 2 miles an hour on the sidewalk. >> live a little, steve. >> they're looking at maps the whole time. >> live a little. >> labor day, of course, lots of crowds. everyone is trying to jam in that vacation. but the period after labor day is shoulder season. that's when insiders go out. if you're not the kind of person who wants to get out this weekend, think about shoulder season. >> that's also living room season for me. >> what steve didn't want to say is he actually has a fear of flying. but moving on. courtney scott, thanks so much for joining us.

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